This invention relates to suction nozzles and, more particularly, to a nozzle for use on the distal end of a suction tube for removal of smoke and liquid matter from a laser or electrocautery surgical area.
It has become generally well known in the medical industry that smoke created during electrocautery and laser surgeries is offensive and probably dangerous and should be immediately removed from the surgical site. The smoke, or "plume" as it is sometimes referred to in the industry, is created from the decomposition of organic material of the tissue which has been ablated by the electric current and/or laser beam at the control of the surgeon. Electrocautery and laser surgeries may be conducted either in conjunction with a laparoscope, or other type of endoscopic instrument, or in open surgery with the surgical site of the patient's inner body in direct view and directly accessible to the surgeon. During endoscopic surgery, smoke and liquid removal must occur through a cannula while open surgery permits smoke and liquid removal in close yet variable proximity to the open surgical site.
Many of the known smoke removal systems are integrated with electro-surgical instruments such as may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,100 issued to Olsen on Oct. 8, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,914 issued to Johnson on Jan. 19, 1988; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,780 issued to Morrison, Jr. on Aug. 13, 1974. A closed circuit smoke removal system may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,603 issued to Goodson et al on Apr. 5, 1988 which is used to remove smoke during laparoscopic surgery involving recirculation of CO.sub.2 gas through the surgical site cavity including filtering means and means to maintain pressure for proper abdominal distention of the patient. Lastly, other types of suction and filtering apparatus used primarily for solid/liquid removal rather than smoke removal may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,792,327 issued to Swartz on Dec. 20, 1988 and 4,886,492 issued to Brooke on Dec. 12, 1989.